Saturday, March 10, 2018

Before departing New Zealand we took a morning field trip to the coastline to see how tectonic forces have shaped the environment surrounding Wellington. As I told you, there are an average of 8 earthquakes a day here. Our guide was Dr. Hamish Campbell. Yes, he is a Scot and an expert paleontologist. He is currently involved in volcanology and paleontology research in Australia, Thailand and the Chatham Islands. He talks in terms of billions of years. As we walked along the coastline with him, he pointed out the tectonic faults in the cliffs. Clear lines of demarcations and layers of granite and sandstone were visible. We picnicked on the coast and then headed for the airport.

Upon arrival in Sydney, we met our next Site Coordinator, Brian, who described the scene of our drive to Darling Harbour. Prior to retirement, Brian worked for Qantas Airways. He also worked on the Sydney Olympics Committee. Our hotel is located very near the Darling Harbor which flows into the Sydney Harbor. It is an extremely vibrant area filled with restaurants, a convention center, a pedestrian bridge and people galore. In the other direction is China Town. We are in a great area. Pictures at flickr.